An archive of found family photos and artifacts for genealogists and historians.

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I reunite identified family photos that I find in antique shops and second hand stores with genealogists and family historians. If you see one of your ancestors here and would like to obtain the original, feel free to contact me. Donations of pre-1920 photographs are also most welcome. I hope you enjoy your visit!~The Archivist

Sunday, December 4, 2011

The Beautiful Era: Berthine Thompson, circa 1905

It's fitting that the Edwardian period is also known as "La Belle Epoque (The Beautiful Era)." The winsome young woman above is the epitome of Edwardian beauty in her "Gibson-Girl"-style hairdo and smocked, lace-trimmed dress. Her silhouette is typical of the Edwardian period with its "S-shape," created by the new corsets of the time.

Her name is Berthine Thompson. The photograph was taken at the McCabe studios on W. Madison Street in Chicago. I found this photo in a collection of photos with a Manitowoc, Wisconsin connection. I looked online at the various US censuses and did find a few Berthine Thompsons in the 1880, 1900 and 1910 censuses. There was one Berthine (Bertha) Thompson who was born in Mantiowoc County in 1879. Is it her, I wonder?

I am dating this photo around 1905 or so, but I am not a fashion expert, so if you have experience in that area, I'd love to hear from you.

4 comments:

I was looking at the Thompson Photo on your site, because I have relativeswith that Surname . This obit I believe belongs to her sister and shows Berthine’s married name.

Obituary for CHRISTINE TORRISON

Mrs. Christine Paulson, 84, of Valders, died early Monday morning at Manitowoc County Hospital where she had been a patient for two weeks following an illness of two years. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Valders, with the Rev. Jerry E. Moe officiating.Interment will be in the church cemetery.Mrs. Paulson was born June 16, 1875, in the town of Rockland, daughter of the late Edward and Anna Aubul Thompson. She was married to GeorgeTorrison Oct. 9, 1895, at Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valders.Following the death of Mr. Torrison in 1916, she was married to Eli Paulson Nov. 28, 1928, at Manitowoc. He preceded her in death in 1951.

Mrs. Paulson was a member of Our Saviour Lutheran Church and the church Ladies Aid. She was also a member of Valders American Legion Auxiliary and Homemakers Club. Survivors include five sons by her first marriage,Eugene and Hartley of Chicago, Norman and Ivan of Valders and Syvan ofClark Mills; a daughter, Mrs. A. I. Nauman of Pittsburgh; four brothers, Martin ofWashington, Anders of Gilman, Wis., George of Valders (sic--stated 4 brothers but only 3 named) a sister, Mrs. Berthine? Hammar of Valders; 11 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. Friends may call at Berge Funeral Home, Valders, after 2 p.m. Wednesday until 11 a.m. Thursday when the body will be moved to the church to lie

Thank you so much for finding this! Berthine isn't that common a name, and so I do believe that you are probably right: Berthine Hammar is probably her married name. I'll investigate further thanks to your help!

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About Me

I am a member of the Assocation of Professional Genealogists, The National Genealogical Society, Ohio Genealogical Society and various other local genealogy groups.
I've been working on my own family tree for about 30 years now.

A Note about Accuracy

Identification and research is often based upon information found in a handwritten notation on a photograph. The assumption is that the written identification is correct, but at the same time, know that errors could have been made, especially when the identification was added to the photo many years after the image was created. The only way to absolutely verify the identity of a person in one of these photographs, even after careful research, is to compare the image in question to another known photograph.